Guide To Plastic Recycling Symbols
By admin on Jul 8, 2007 in Household Waste, Recycling, Home & Garden, Guides, Business
Whenever you go to the supermarket to do your weekly shopping there is a good chance many of the items you purchase will include packaging made from some form of plastic. There are a number of different types of plastic that are used. To help identify the different types of plastic, therefore making it easier to recycling, many plastic items will contain a plastic recycling symbol. The different plastic recycling symbols are as follows:
PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) - This type of plastic is often used to make drinks bottles and the trays you get oven-ready meals in.
HDPE (High-density Polyethylene) - HDPE is used to make the plastic milk containers you find in supermarkets and the bottles for cleaning products such as washing up liquid.
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) - PVC is used to make cling film, food trays and shampoo bottles.
LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) - This type of plastic is used to make bin liners and carrier bags.
PP (Polypropylene) - Items such as margarine tubs and the trays that microwaveable meals come in are often made from polypropylene.
PS (Polystyrene) - Polystyrene is commonly used as a packaging material for electrical items, such as TV’s and DVD Players. It is also used to make yoghurt pots, vending cups and boxes for take away burgers.
OTHER - Any plastics that do not fall into one of the categories listed above will contain this plastic recycling symbol.
sue | Sep 20, 2007 | Reply
I do try and do my bit for recycling, but i do find it very confusing, as to where to put some of the plastic’s. Why do you not start putting onto packaging where to recycly the various things, ie take to the dump, green bin etc
admin | Sep 20, 2007 | Reply
I agree it would make things a lot easier if packaging contained such labels. However unfortunately it would be extremely difficult unless there was a unified approach to kerbside recycling throughout the country. At the moment the items recycled, the type of bins and the colour of bins will vary from council to council. Whereas I currently have a brown wheelie bin for paper, plastic and cans, the neighbouring council use different coloured boxes.
amy roads | Apr 28, 2008 | Reply
Why are there recycle triangle symbols on plastic bottles without a number inside? What does it mean? I have heard that if there is no number inide the recycle triangle that it is a #7 or “other”. Can you explain what category they fall under?
thanks,
Amy